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Toei Reveals Kamen Rider Zi-O Series Premiering in September

Toei officially revealed last week that the next installment of its Kamen Rider tokusatsu franchise is titled Kamen Rider Zi-O. Toei bills the series as the story of the "last Heisei era Kamen Rider." (The Japanese government is planning for the end on Heisei era on April 30, 2019, when the current Emperor Akihito abdicates the throne for his son Naruhito.) The series will premiere on September 2.

The new series is based on a time-traveling theme (the series' "Zi-0" title alludes to jiō, literally "lord of time"), with the titular hero wearing the RideWatch and ZikuDriver items that allow him to transform. The new Kamen Rider Zi-O's power allows him to wear the suits of all the Heisei-era Kamen Riders and gain their power.

The story centers around a boy born in the year 2000, who has dreams of him becoming a king. In the fall of 2018, the boy meets a girl who appears before him in a time machine. The girl explains that she comes from the future year of 2068, a hopeless future where a demon king rules and people suffer. The girl further explains to the boy that his destiny will be to become "Zi-O," the same demon king that will rule over the world.

The protagonist character will appear in the upcoming Kamen Rider Build: Be the One film that will open in Japan on August 4.

Ryuta Tasaki (Kamen Rider Agito, Kamen Rider Ryuki, Kamen Rider Build) is directing the series. Kento Shimoyama is penning the scripts for the series. Toshihiko Sahashi is composing the music for the series.

Toei will announce more details for the series, including the cast, during an event on August 7. Toei initially filed for the trademark for the series in April.

Sources: Toei, Cinema Today via Nijimen